| Ceremony Honors 'Greatest Generations' |
| WASHINGTON, May 30, 2005 – America's top military leaders – the commander in chief, secretary of defense, and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff – commemorated this Memorial Day by paying tribute to the tradition of wartime military service that has distinguished generations of Americans, past and present. Story |
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| Servicemembers in Iraq Remember Fallen |
| AL ASAD, Iraq, May 30, 2005 – Along with all the normal cookouts and outdoor activities associated with Memorial Day, servicemembers here took part in a ceremony to commemorate the real reason for this day of remembrance: to honor all service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Story |
| • Camp Victory Holds Memorial Day Ceremony |
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| Rumsfeld Thanks Rolling Thunder for Support |
| WASHINGTON, May 30, 2005 – Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld thanked the thousands of riders in the 18th annual Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom for their support of veterans’ issues and of today's troops. Story | Photos |
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| Motorcyclists Ride to Honor Servicemembers |
| WASHINGTON, May 30, 2005 – Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans and motorcycle enthusiasts gathered in the Pentagon's North Parking lot early May 29 for the 18th annual Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom. Story | Photos |
| • Riders Gather for Rolling Thunder Tribute | Photos |
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| ROLLING THUNDER – Having ridden his motorcycle from New Mexico to Washington, D.C., David "Sharp" Lish displays a signed banner on May 30, 2005, that he plans to send to sailors and Marines aboard the USS Harpers Ferry. Lish was in D.C. participating in Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle rally that consists of hundreds of bikers that parade from the Pentagon parking lot to the memorial area. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Johnny Bivera More Photos
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| President Bush: Prayer for Peace |
| On Memorial Day, we honor the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in service to our Nation. When the stakes were highest, our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen answered the call of duty and made the ultimate sacrifice for the security of our country and the peace of the world. Proclamation |
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| Defense Secretary Rumsfeld: Proud to Have Served |
| I am pleased to join millions of Americans in honoring the brave men and women in uniform -- those who serve today, those who have fallen in battle, and those veterans who proudly served in the past. . . . I was privileged to serve in the Navy some 50 years ago. Now, more than 50 years later, I count my time in uniform as a most important period in my life. Thousands, if not millions, of others who have served undoubtedly feel the same way. Release |
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| LAST RESPECTS – Officers aboard the USS Essex render a salute during a Feb. 27, 2005, memorial service for members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit who were killed in action in Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis M. Burns
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| RENDERING HONORS – Honors are rendered at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier in Arlington, Va., as the ceremonial guards post the colors prior to the arrrival of the President of the United States who will conduct a wreath laying ceremony in honor of Memorial Day, May 30, 2005. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Johnny Bivera Hi Res Photo | More Photos |
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Families of Fallen Visit Chairman |
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| FAMILY MEMBERS VISIT CHAIRMAN – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers takes a group photo with family members who have lost loved ones serving in the Armed Forces. The families were attending the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) annual meeting in Arlington, Va., May 27, 2005. TAPS is a non-profit Veteran Service Organization offering hope, healing, comfort and care to thousands of American Armed Forces families facing the death of a loved one each year. Defense Dept. photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen
More Photos | Story |
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 Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans – the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) – established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. More
• Numbers of Americans Killed/Wounded, by Action
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| Bush: America Honors Slain Veterans |
| WASHINGTON, May 28, 2005 – At the onset of the Memorial Day weekend, President Bush used his weekly radio address to pay tribute to American veterans, past and present. They have "given their lives for our nation," Bush said. "Our citizens live in freedom because patriots are willing to serve and sacrifice for our liberty." Story |
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| Moment To Put 'Memorial' Back in Day |
| WASHINGTON, May 26, 2005 – The National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day is an act of national unity, remembrance and rededication to the ideals upon which the nation was founded, the executive director of the White House Commission on Remembrance explained. Story |
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| A Day to Remember, Reflect |
| MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va., May 27, 2005 – Originally a day to remember those lost in the Civil War, Memorial Day has grown into a weekend to honor military men and women who have fought in any battle to conserve freedom and serve the United States. Story |
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WAR MEMORIAL – President of Afghanistan's Transitional Government Hamid Karzai listens as an Army tour guide tells him about the Pentagon memorial to the 184 persons killed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. Defense Dept. photo by R. D. Ward
More Photos | American Battle Monuments Commission |
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